09/06/2011

Synopsis

Despite recent rainfall around the UK, the ground remains very dry for many farmers. Terry Marsh from The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology says that the area of land affected by the agricultural drought has become smaller but where it still remains, it's become more severe.

Ruth Sanderson visits potato farmer James Daw who grows potatoes in Staffordshire to see how the dry weather is affecting his crop, and what methods he is using to conserve water.

There's been mixed reaction to the government's White Paper for the Natural Environment in England. Mary Creagh, Labour's Shadow Environment Secretary says she believes the government needed to go further. Martin Harper - the RSPB's conservation director - says that while it's good that there are lots of environmental targets, the government could make these even more specific. Whilst Andrew Clarke from the National Farmers Union thinks that farmers are being split between too many environmental schemes and are not being incentivised enough.

Producer: Ruth Sanderson. Presenter: Charlotte Smith.